1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shoe tree, and more particularly to a shoe tree having a micro-adjusting mechanism or structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical adjustable shoe trees comprise a toe member for engaging into the front portion of the shoe, a heel member for engaging in the rear portion of the shoe, and a spacer bar adjustably secured between the toe member and the heel member. The spacer bar and the toe member, or the spacer bar and the heel member are normally adjustably secured together with an engagement of a projection with either of a number of cavities, or with an engagement between teeth. However, once the projection is engaged with a selected cavity, or once the teeth are engaged with each other, the shoe tree should be forced into the shoe, and may not be easily engaged into the shoe.
The other typical adjustable shoe trees comprise a toe member for engaging into the front portion of the shoe, a heel member for engaging in the rear portion of the shoe, a spacer bar slidably engaged between the toe member and the heel member, and a spring member engaged between the spacer bar and the toe member, or engaged between the spacer bar and the heel member, for forcing the toe member and the heel member to engage with the shoe. However, the spring may not suitably force the toe member and the heel member to solidly engage with the shoe when the shoe includes a length greater than a predetermined length. Relatively, the shoe tree may not be suitably engaged into the shoe when the shoe includes a length shorter than a predetermined length, even when the spring has been completely compressed to the most compact configuration.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional adjustable shoe trees.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an adjustable shoe tree including a micro-adjusting mechanism or structure for allowing the shoe tree to be suitably adjusted relative to various kinds of shoes that have different lengths or different inner volumes.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a shoe tree comprising a toe member for engaging with a front portion of a shoe, a heel member for engaging with a rear portion of a shoe, a spacer bar including a front portion for engaging with the toe member and a rear portion for engaging with the heel member, means for adjustably securing the front portion of the spacer bar to the toe member, and means for biasing the heel member away from the spacer bar to engage with the rear portion of the shoe. The spacer bar may be quickly or micro-adjusted relative to the toe member with the adjustably securing means. In addition, the biasing means may bias the heel member and the spacer bar, or the heel member and the toe member away from each other, such that the heel member may further be biased and moved relative to the spacer bar for allowing the toe member and the heel member to be adjustable and accurately engaged into the shoes of different sizes or lengths.
The adjustably securing means includes a lock device for adjustably securing the front portion of the spacer bar to the toe member,
The lock device includes one or two flanges provided in the toe member and each having a plurality of depressions formed therein, a latch secured to the front portion of the spacer bar and having one or two arms, and means for forcing the arms to engage with the flanges of the toe member.
The forcing means includes a pawl slidably secured to the latch and having a protrusion for engaging with the arms and for forcing the arms to engage with the flanges of the toe member.
The arms each includes a tongue for engaging with the depressions of the flanges respectively, the pawl is movable between the tongues for forcing the tongues to engage with the depressions of the flanges respectively.
A device is further provided for retaining the pawl to the latch and includes at least one cavity in the latch, and at least one leg extended from the pawl and having a projection for engaging with the cavity of the latch.
The heel member includes a conduit formed therein for slidably receiving the rear portion of the spacer bar, the biasing means includes a spring engaged between the spacer bar and the heel member for biasing the heel member away from the spacer bar.
The spacer bar includes a stop provided thereon and slidably received in the conduit of the heel member, the spring is engaged between the stop and the heel member.
The heel member includes an anvil provided therein for engaging with the spacer bar and for limiting a sliding movement of the spacer bar relative to the heel member.
The spacer bar includes a middle portion having a non-circular cross section, and includes a rear portion having a circular cross section, the heel member includes a conduit formed therein and defined by at least one first partition and at least one second partition, the first partition includes a non-circular orifice formed therein for slidably receiving the non-circular middle portion of the spacer bar, and the second partition includes a circular orifice formed therein for slidably receiving the circular rear portion of the spacer bar.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.